Hopeless For Ya, Say A Prayer For California
by NeverFadeInTheDark
Summary: When a check leads Priest Alvin to meeting Brittany, it is evidently a case of Stigmata. But as she begins to ramble strange and seemingly meaningless phrases,he begins to think otherwise.As the Church become interested,he strives to stay with her,and stop it,but must do so before the wounds take their deadly toll by first uncovering her past, and then facing the ghosts of his own.
1. Chapter 1

_"Okay. Run this through with me. Start at the beginning. I want to know everything."_

_After being talked to about her past, he promptly prepared to explain what started when 'the Victim' arrived at the Seville household._

_"And please, make sure you don't leave anything out, every piece can be vital." he looked towards the ceiling, hand glancing over the rosary he wore around his neck and he wondered briefly how he ended up in this line of work._

_"Well, someones gotta do it..." he muttered to himself, before placing his feet upon the footstool placed next to the leather chair he sat on._

_His boss, Iain, looked at him, and took a deep breath, "Well..."_

* * *

The girl stumbled forward, trying desperately not to fall, and rough hands grabbed the collar of her shirt. Once she was straightened up, she was shoved forwards again, and almost slipped again, due to the mud and lack of vision, since her hair was being whipped across her face by the wind and rain. Unfortunately, her tattered tee shirt and skirt weren't doing much in the way of protecting her shivering frame from the cruel elements.

Once she was yanked to a stop, her arms were lifted above her head, and tied to the end of a post. This, was the slave market.

All around her, scrawny bodies in similar condition to her own stood freezing, bound in a similar manner. The ones closest to her, were pleasure slaves, much like she. But the ones to her far right she knew to be the labourers. She hated the slave market, and always tried her best to stay with one master or the next. She was forced to stand on tip-toes with her arms tied above her head for hours on end. The post, she figured, may have once been a set of Gallows, or inspired by such, as many of the frames were posts with a wooden beam coming off the side with a niche in the end, to which the rope or manacles were attached. This time, she had rope.

She glanced up, and the smallest sliver of moonlight fell upon her face, and, even through the storm, the wind, and the rain, she calmed.

She lowered her head to her chest, and closed her eyes, freezing, and shivering, but silent, never complaining.

She heard the next person over groan, and the sound of her gasping reminded her of the whips the individual sellers carried with them.

At one point, she didn't know how much longer later, she tried to adjust her footing, but the mud slipped by her bare feet and she slid slightly, and groaned at the strain in her arms, she felt the sharp pain as the whip collided with her barely clothed back, and slammed her chin into her collar to stop herself from yelling out.

* * *

_"Why do you have video footage of what happened at the slave market that day?"_

_"Because they run routine checks. Now shut up, and watch the rest of it."_

_Again, he grumbled to himself, but remained silent and watched as the remainder of the footage played on the projector._

* * *

Several times, a person would walk up to her, look her over, seeming pleased, and ask the price, she never listened to the price, but knew it was too high to even consider haggling, as they turned on their heel. Until a man dressed in a black suit and top hat approached her. By now, the rain had stopped, but the miserable air of the slave market remained.

He eyed her up, and looked at her directly, before asking her to lift her face, and once she complied, he asked her:

"Do you have any form of education?"

She responded with a simple 'A little' and he asked her if she could do anything musically.

"Well... I play a little piano, and I sometimes sing." she admitted, faintly curious as to why she was being asked.

The man nodded, "Sing a line or two from a song."

Her eyes widened at the shock, but she looked down quickly, knowing that was the wise thing to do.

"Guess what? I'm not a robot, a robot!

Guess what? I'm not a robot, a robot..."

* * *

_It was fair to say he was impressed. Iain didn't show any signs of being pleased, and he sharply reminded himself that this was serious, and got back to paying attention._

* * *

The suited man smiled at her, either amused or pleased, she couldn't tell, but kept her eyes down.

"How much?"

There was a silence, which was broken by a husky voice, "20 shillings."

"Ten."

"Twenty shillings."

"Fifteen."

This continued for several minutes, before there was a short silence, and the slap of hands shaking. Her hands were released, and she collapsed slightly, trying to remain upright, and was caught by the new gentleman. On her third try, she managed to remain up right, and stood stock still.

The familiar sensation of the collar being removed reminded her that she was now in someone else's possession once more, but it wasnt replaced by the new collar, rather a rope, a loop that the man held in his hands. This was a first, but the young girl remained silent, and stared at the mud beneath her.

She felt a sharp tug, and trotted after her new owner, or representative of him/her.

There was a long walk to a black horse, and she was pushed onto it, and the man settled in front of her, his face was quite sharp, but he seemed nice enough, there was a long diagonal scar running from his forehead, across his nose, to his right cheek. She didn't want to know how he got it. He told her not to try anything, and warned her 'Simon ' wouldn't be pleased if he dragged her back rather than brought her civilly, before he tied the end of the rope to his left wrist, but gave her some slack, as he would be driving the horse.

The ride was silent, but fine nonetheless. Eventually, the girl couldn't take it anymore, "What's he like? Simon, I mean?"

"Hmmm?"

She repeated herself, keeping quiet, but still loud enough to be heard.

He laughed heartily, "Sure. He's probably a couple of years older than you, and can have a temper, but if you get to know him, and stay on his good side, you'll have no problem with him. He's generally early calm and collected though, so you should be fine ." She nodded to herself, and remained silent for the remainder of the journey.

Eventually, they reached a grand estate, with many workers with brown collars ploughing, weeding, and acting seeds in fields, several gardens were off the side, with many more workers planting seed and weeding between flowers so artfully planted. They approached a grand front porch, where the man in front of her hopped off the horse, half strangling the girl in the act, before helping her down. Then, he steered her towards the front door, where a tall girl with mousy brown hair stood, dressed in a casual black tee shirt, and jeans. She held out a tanned hand "My names Zoe. I can take it from here Shadows."

The man - now known as Shadows - backed off, and slunk away. Zoe smiled at her, and the girl felt slightly more comfortable in her new surroundings.

"Come on, let me show you to the chambers."

She hung her head, knowing why she was there, and followed as close as humanly possible behind Zoe without stepping on her as Zoe made sure she had the end of the rope Shadows had given her upon his entry secure in her hands. Zoe fastened the end of the rope around her wrist, so the girl couldn't get away even if she wanted to, though she was already resigned to her fate - become another master's whore.

Zoe made her way through the ornate house; past expensive-looking paintings, and ornaments, through glamorously decorated corridors, and finally made it to two large oak doors. Zoe fumbled with her belt for a second, before producing a large brass key, and shoving it into the door and twisting it until the lock clicked open, and Zoe pushed the doors open slightly.

The girl followed behind her, as she walked into the room, and watched silently as Zoe turned back around and closed the doors, not locking them. Then, the girl took a moment to glance around.

The room was fairly large, not lounge large, but not anything close to small. It was a stark contrast of black and white, the walls were completely and spotlessly white, whilst the furniture was black. The girl quickly lowered her eyes, and waited to see what Zoe was going to do or say. She felt a slight tug on the end of the rope, and followed quietly. With her eyes lowered, she noticed that the carpet on which she stood was a very deep red, similar, but not the same to that of blood.

The thought worried her.

Zoe led her into the bathroom, were she found a bath already ready and waiting for her. "Get out of those rags, climb in." The girl stripped quickly, and climbed into the warm bubbly tub. Zoe untied the rope from around her neck, and the girl smiled, before untying her hair and allowing it to float around her naked figure, obscured only by the water and foam on the surface.

Zoe departed, but left the door open so she could hear whatever happened whilst she was in the bathtub, but she quickly poked her head around the door, "You're allowed to use whatever is in there, but you must use the cream for your hair, understood?" The girl nodded, and picked up the cream conditioner that was beside her, before setting it back down. She picked up rose scented Shampoo, and massaged it along her scalp, before dipping her head underwater to cleanse it, then she applied the conditioner Zoe mentioned, and continued to cleanse herself before she met her new Master.

* * *

_"Okay, so she's at the house. I don't get how this lead to her becoming a victim?"_

_"Shh. Watch, but try and figure out why it's her in particular."_

_The man nodded, and returned his eyes to the screen._

* * *

Zoe came back in the room just as she was about to climb out, and handed her a red towel to dry herself with, and another for her hair.

"Here, you are to wear this until Master Seville says yo may wear otherwise, understood?" The girl nodded, and accepted it.

Zoe then led her out to the other end of the bathroom, were there was a large mirror and various utensils scattered across the marble surface. Zoe handed her a toothbrush, and toothpaste, and the girl cleaned her teeth quickly and efficiently, feeling better, and more refreshed. Then, Zoe pulled out a stool from beneath the desk, and sat her down on it. She pulled the towel off her head gently, and grabbed a hairbrush, motioning for the girl to place her toothbrush in a rack, and began gently combing through her hair, before getting out the hair-dryer and drying it correctly, adjusting or moving the object when she sensed the girl to be in pain from the heat without her asking.

Once her hair was dried, Zoe stood the girl up again, and gently, and slowly, began to pull the towel away from her midsection, quickly glancing her over, she nodded to herself, and grabbed the neatly folded clothes from where she left them. First, came underclothes, which were followed by a low-cut white blouse and loose grey tie, below, she wore black tights and a grey skirt the same deep grey as her tie.

Once Zoe finished fussing, she led her by her wrist rather than the rope back into the bedroom, looking straight ahead this time, the girl noticed the bed. It was a Queen bed, with deep red sheets and slightly darker pillows. A black runner ran over the mid-section, giving the made bed a finished look.

Zoe sat the girl down on the couch, and told her to stay still, she nodded, and complied whilst the older of the two walked over to the black dresser, and shuffled about for a bit, before a clinking sound was heard, and she came back over, this time holding a small black bag.

"I doubt you're going to like this, but hey, it's a leather collar. There's worse, right?" The girl nodded. "I can't tell you what else is in the bag, but I want you to remain here for a sec, okay?" The girl nodded once more, and watched Zoe run over to the window, bag clinking in her hand as she did. She peered out the large glass window, and scanned the grounds, moving her head from side to side as she did so, before coming back to sit next to the girl.

"Okay, Master Seville isn't home yet. Look, I'm pretty sure you already know what you're doing here: You're a sex slave. Master Seville has never bought any one of his sons one before, so he's all a bit new to this." The girl hung her head, and looked down at her hands shamefully.

"Look at me hun, it's okay." Zoe gently pushed her chin up, to look into her eyes with her own gentle ones. "How old are you?" she asked eventually.

"I'm fourteen."

* * *

_"What?! The Victim is fourteen?! You never mentioned that!"_

_"Shut up!"_

* * *

Zoe could be heard tutting. "How come you're in the trade?"

She looked back down again.

"Oh, I see... How long ago?"

The girl thought a moment, and then replied "It depends on how you phrase it."

Zoe frowned lightly, "When were you first picked up?"

"Three years ago, on my birthday."

Zoe frowned lightly again to herself, and asked, "When did you first go to market?"

"I was almost twelve."

Zoe contemplated this answer for a moment. "Stand up." She commanded harshly, and watched as the girl complied immediately. "Okay, hun. You can sit down now, I just worked something out, I think."

The girl sat. "What?"

"What did you spend that first year doing?"

She hung her head. "Training."

* * *

_"Good God... That appalling..."_

_Iain simply nodded in response._

* * *

Zoe's eyes widened. "Oh sweetie... That's awful... The trainers are awful people... You shouldn't have had to spend that long with them."

She looked at Zoe for the first time in the eye, properly, not behind a mask - completely and utterly vulnerable. "If I had learned faster, I wouldn't have spent that long with him."

Zoe shook her head, and stood up quickly. "Stay here, I have to go. Don't move from the couch, unless the next person to walk through the door is me. Got it?" The girl nodded, and remained seated.

Zoe quickly pulled out the rope. "I'm sorry, but I have to do this." She hooked the noose around the girl's neck, and tied the end to the end of the bed directly behind the couch, before promptly leaving, and locking the door.

The girl sighed, and closed her eyes, bringing her hands up to cover her face.

Where she was sat, she was slightly to the left as you would come through the door, with the bed being on the extreme left (seeing as she was sat in front of it on the couch) and the bathroom door was across from her, on the extreme right of the room. Next to it were two black doors. She had not a clue what they may or may not contain, but decided something; She didn't want to find out.

After about fifteen minutes of waiting, the doors opened again to reveal Zoe, who stepped inside, and then stood beside the door whilst a taller figure strode in. He was very tall, and looked altogether too skinny, and he certainly had that masters edge around him. The girl didn't move - barely even breathed - as he walked in, and Zoe closed the door behind him. He took his blue hoodie off to reveal a blue t-shirt that was a little too long, before he sat down on one of the couches directly opposite where the girl was sitting.

Zoe could be heard closing the door, and walking away, and the girl wandered what was to happen next.

The man turned to look at her, revealing a pale face behind deep brown bangs, azure blue eyes hidden behind large glasses. "So." He almost purrs out, "You're mine..." The girl gulped, but remained silent. Not knowing how to react, if she was expected to act different for this country master as she did her city one. She decided it would be safer if she just did the same thing. "Listen, there's a few things I want you to know, before I do what I have to do, okay?"

The girl nodded, but looked down at her hands the way she had been taught. This master of hers... He was strange. He didn't say it as a purr because he was a creep, but closer to the way he sounded as if he was brought up.

"First, what's your name?"

"I-I don't h-have one."

"Excuse me?"

"My name is whatever you wish it to be." Then, as an afterthought, she added, "Master."

The man nodded, "Fine. Age?"

"I'm fourteen sir."

He nodded again. "Okay, do you know why you're here?"

"I am to be a slave to you, and serve you in whatever way you deem fit."

"Okay... Now, some information you need to know." His tone was unsure, almost wary, but took on a commanding one when he told her to look at him, rather than at her hands. She did so immediately.

"You will be allowed in the gardens, and to roam the house, don't try to escape the house if the front door is locked. If it isn't you are free to explore the gardens, but don't try to escape, you will have a collar that has our details on it, so if you do, someone may pick you up, and bring you right back, understood?"

She nodded.

"Good. Do you have any form of education?"

"A little, master."

He nodded. "Okay, if you wish, I can show you the way of the library, which you may explore tomorrow. If I am in my study, which is the door opposite the library, don't interrupt me. Plus, the door is soundproof, I won't be able to hear you if you call my name. Now, stay still a second." He produced the black bag Zoe had been holding previously, and the girl shivered slightly, but remained still as he advanced on her.

"Look, I hate having to do this, especially to someone as young as you, but they record who is bought, from who, and for how much, so I have no choice really, and my 'Dad' will kill you if he sees you without these, so.. Sorry..."

He pulls out the leather collar Zoe mentioned. This one was black, unlike the brown ones that all of the other slaves had been wearing, which got the girl anxious, to say in the least. But, her Master sat down beside her calmly, and began to untie the knot around her neck from the rope, once it was free, he picked up the collar, and positioned it around her neck, and letting go once a click was heard that indicated that it was locked in place.

Then, he reached his hand into the bag again, and pulled out more.

This time, he was holding leather handcuffs of some sort. They had the silver lock on bearing the family's crest, and several small loops below them. The girl shifted nervously, uncertain as to whywHe had them, until he pulled her wrists towards him, and secured them in place, the silver lock clicking once, twice more. Then, he sunk down to his knees, and asked her to raise her feet slightly, she complied, and felt the manacles - leather again - click into place around her ankles, then, the man stood up, and petted her on the head.

"Listen, what's your name?"

"Whatever you want it to be."

The man sighed. "What did your last Master call you?"

She thought briefly, "It was always simply 'babe' or 'bitch' really."

He shook his head. "Fine, but you need a proper name. I want you to choose one, otherwise it's either going to be Mildred or Beatrice. I expect you to have one ready by the time I get back, understood?"

The girl nodded quietly, not replying verbally to the command.

"Good. Now, I will call Zoe, and she can give you a tour of the house. Do not disturb me, and be back in my room by five tonight, be sure to have your dinner before then, as you will not be leaving for the remainder of the evening, understood? Zoe has a watch,justtell her know the timings, and she will make sure it happens. Any questions, ask her. Got it?"

The girl nodded, and fidgeted with the cuffs.

"Good. My younger brother Theodore is expected to arrive back at some point this afternoon. You are not to return to this room, but rather to the room adjoined to Jeanette's. You may decorate it as you wish, but keep clutter to a minimum. Understood?" she nodded again.

The man left, and the room was plunged into silence. But after what seemed like an eternity, Zoe returned, smiling warmly at the girl. Then, she quickly walked out the room, motioning for the girl to follow her and waited until she was outside in the hallway alongside her before closing the doors and looping the end of a piece of rope through one of the girl's cuffs. "Sorry, standard first-day procedure." she apologised before holding the other end in her hands.

As Zoe showed her around, the girl slowly started to get to grips with her new surroundings, before they stopped for lunch. It wasn't spectacular, but certainly seemed it. A short girl wearing a green walked strode into the room, balancing two trays on her bearing each bearing ample food and water for them, as well as a cool bottle for the afternoon. Whilst the girl adjusted her ponytails, Zoe introduced the girl to Eleanor, who immediately insisted she be called Ellie. Then, she hurriedly excused herself to go and finish making and then deliver the other slaves' lunch.

Over the course of the afternoon, the girl learned all about the gardens and the Seville family, and around half past one, the youngest of the Seville brothers returned from some sort of convention, and Zoe - and in turn the girl - were instructed to let the girls master aware of his return. Whilst Zoe and the girl headed to find Simon, the girl brought up the naming matter.

"And, I really don't know what to say! I mean, I don't want to be called Matilda, or Beatrice for the remainder of my stay! And... I don't know..." Zoe seemed not to be paying attention, until she said, "I'm not much of a help in this sort of matter, I'm afraid. But, "she turned a corner and opened a door, "Jeanette is Simon's other personal slave - but you can call it ps if you wish to, we all know what it means - and Simon is... Well, you've already met him. Jeanette is essentially the female version of Simon. Anyway, we're here now. Stick close, and... Well, you know what to do." Zoe pulled the girl a little closer, adjusted the rope slightly and knocked on the door before walking it.

"Ah! Zoe! So great to see you! Master Simon is just through this way..." Mumbled Jeanette in a jumbled mess. Jeanette was a tall girl, with purple wired-rimmed glasses, she was skinny, and had long, brown hair tied up in a messy bun. She wore a purple dress and flats.

Zoe and the girl followed her down another, smaller corridor, which was decorated mainly in blue. They walked down to the end, where they were faced with two large doors. Jeanette walked over to the right one and knocked, before walking into the large study room. Zoe and the girl followed suit, and wound up facing Master Simon from behind several large books, a blue laptop, and the large, ornate desk he sat before. Upon noticing their arrival, Simon sent both Jeanette and the girl a warm smile.

"Im presuming my younger brother has returned?" he asked smartly.

Zoe bowed slightly and nodded. "Indeed sir."

"Good. Good." he glanced at the girl, "Any advance on the name problem yet?"

The girl shook her head silently.

He sighed. "Zoe, allow Jeanette to watch over her for the remainder of the afternoon. You two may roam the province until six, dinner is at seven, and return to your chambers by eight. Got it?"

Both girls nodded, and Zoe handed Jeanette the rope. Zoe promptly left the room, and Jeanette and the girl turned around and walked out after her.

* * *

_The video stopped._

_"Err... Is it supposed to do that?" _

_His boss nodded. "I'm afraid that's all we have. Up until the first sign. If you want to watch the videos of it?"_

_He nodded, "It's probably for the best. Do we know who she is yet?"_

_"Not quite, almost there in fact, we should have it soon."_

_"Let's see the first sign then. And do you have clips for the second?"_

_"No, the second wasn't caught in camera, they simply found her unconscious in a stream with her forehead split open."_

_"Fine... Let's see."_

* * *

The girl strode into the study, and bowed before Simon, and asked to use the library at the back of his study. He agreed, before standing up and leaving her alone in the room, and she wandered over to a religious section. She opened a book, and muttered something to herself, before bending over and screaming.

She thrashed, but managed to hook one of the cuffs on her hand to a nail on the side of a bookshelf. She pulled her hands together, trying to unhook them from the nail and release them from the invisible force that was holding her in place.

Suddenly, as another whip-snap was heard and more blood made its appearance on her back, she let out a blood-curdling yell, and freed her left hand. However, as if soeone was holding on to it, she fought back, trying to keep it close to her body, but it ended up being latched onto another bookshelf on the opposite side on the aisle. She shrieked again, and her agony was shown on her face as she looked upwards, the tears flowing freely from her eyes as she was whipped repeatedly by the unseen force.

After a short while, her screams turned to sobs, and they in turn become quiet groans. The camera picked up the sound of a door opening, and footsteps heading over to the girl.

The force then made one deep cut, longer than the rest, vertically down her back, and another, similar one, horizontally across her shoulder-blades in a misshapen and poor representation of a crucifix.

Then, the camera shut itself off.

* * *

_"Where's the rest of it?" _

_"We have no idea. As you saw, the screen turned grey and cut itself off."_

_He shook his head. "No, that's not right. Look, pass me the remote."_

_Iain handed him the remote, and he scrolled back several seconds, to the part where door opened, and paused it._

_"Watch. The door opens, and the camera goes grey, but only around the edges. Look see, the victim is still in colour."_

_"Go on..." Iain said warily._

_"Then, the spirit carves the crucifix onto her back, and the whole colour of the room returns, look. It's only for a second though. Then, she's still in colour, but everywhere else is in grey. Look." he gestured to the screen, and stood up, placing his hands on the area around her arms, which was completely in grey. "Grey, but she's still in colour. And, more curiously, watch this..." he flicked the remote, and paused it again almost immediately. "Look, it cut off at 33 minutes and 18 seconds past 12, yes? Well, 18 minutes and 16 seconds past, the surrounding grey blurs, can you see it?"_

_Iain took his glasses off and peered forwards, "Why yes, I can."_

_"Strange, isn't it? But look, there's more. Have you noticed that whilst her whole body is in colour, it's most vibrant around her neck and chest? Look, there's bloodin her arms from this, and on her legs too, but there it's brighter, more stark. I recon there's something around her neck, or a symbol on the blouse, maybe a tattoo? I don't know."_

_"Okay, heres the other video..." Iain clicked about on his laptop, and started playing it._

_This showed much the same thing, but from the front, rather than from the back. Once it was finished, the man looked at the screen, and rewind the video to when the door opened again._

_"There. Look, she's scared wthat it opens. And..." he played and aused it again, "Look. The camera cuts off at the same time as the other one..." he out it to 16 seconds past again, "But... See..." he stood up, and pointed at the screen, lust over the girls breasts, "it's most vibrant here again, but now you can see it."_

_"What? See what?"_

_He grabbed a pen, and drew around a figure on the white-board the film was being projected onto, and then took a step back so Iain could see._

_"Look, it's the outline of a crucifix, she's wearing a rosary."_

_Iain shook his head, "You think she's religious?"_

_"Possibly."_

_Suddenly, the door burst open to reveal a young man, red faced and outif breath, who wheezed out that "I'm so sorry Mr. Hawk and Mr. Seville, but there's been an advance in that girl youre working on?"_

_Iain nodded, "Go on." Mr. Seville took this opportunity to take his seat, began to sip his coffee._

_"Sorry... Bit out of breathe... Anyway, we know the name..." he wheezed out._

_"Good grief! Spit it out!"_

_"B-Brittany Miller, sir. Excuse me.." he ran out the room again._

_In the sudden silence of the office, it wasn't hard to hear Mr. Seville spitting out the coffee that was in his mouth. "Brittany Miller?"_

_"Indeed. Why?"_

_He shook his head hastily, and held up a hand. "Doesnt matter. But when's the next train to Florida?"_


	2. Chapter 2

_He adjusted his shirt collar, and knocked twice on the large front door. He was hoping that his English accent he had acquired, the haircut and the suit would help conceal his real identity._

_It didn't take long, before a young girl answered the door. She wore a green dress and high sandles, to look taller than she was. Her light blond hair was put up in two pigtails on either side of her head. She nodded, and enquired as to who he was. _

_"Father Alex Steele." He introduced himself, using the fake name he had come up with and cleared with Iain._

_"Oh! Father! Come on in! Master Theodore wanted to see you!"_

_He nodded, and followed her inside, marvelling at the beauty of the place, before he was lead to see Theodore. This, he knew, was the point of no return. If he was recognized, his whole plan could be thrown into jeopardy. _

_He followed her down several corridors, eventually reaching a green one, and trailed behind her, as the slave girl opened the door and ushered him inside, to see a short, plump man dressed largely in green, wearing a soft expression on his face. _

_His brother hadn't changed at all._

* * *

**She followed him into the lounge, where a large table was set out, and many of his friends sat around it. He walked over to his seat, and she dropped to her knees beside him, clasped her hands behind her back, and stared at the floor. She felt a hand on her hair, and a murmured 'Good girl' and stayed still and quiet as he began to converse with his friends.**

**During the course of the meal, she knew he had began to drink heavily. And was soon very, very drunk.**

**"'Ey, Phil, check out this one! She's shbrill!" He slurred out, and she tensed slightly. "Watch this! Pet, beg for me!"**

**She looked up at him, slightly confused.**

**"Pathetic, but that'll do. Now, roll over!"**

**She dropped forwards onto her stomach, and rolled over once, not moving after that.**

**"Sit."**

**She sat back up, resting on her haunches. **

**"See? She's obedient as a duck!"**

**One of his friends laughed heartily at the statement. Or how drunk he was, it could hav been either, but she didn't care to know. **

**Not long after, they retired to the living room, and she followed quietly. As he settled himself on the couch, she sat down beside him, knowing that it was her place to do so.**

**The world morphed slightly, and she was with her second master, rather than her first, and was tidying up his chambers for him before he returned from his nightly supper. She heard his footsteps thumping p the stairs thunderously, and patted down the bed, which she had been making, and manoeuvred herself into a kneeling position on the floor, facing the door, and clasping her hands behind her back, and bowing her head.**

**"Ahh... good. Now, you may stand. Go fetch my coffee, it should be ready. Then return shortly."**

**She stood, bowed her head again, and rushed out the door, leaving it slightly ajar. **

**Then, she was standing outside the door again, and she pushed against it, balancing the tray on her left hand, and trying to get in. She put her weight against it, and called out, "Master! Open the door please!" not a moment later, the door swung open, and she fell in, spilling the coffee onto the carpet.**

**She stood quickly, and darted into the bathroom to grab a towel. She mopped it up, and took the cleaning supplies back to the bathroom. Then, returned dutifully to the bedroom. She opened the door, and took a cautious step in, when she was grabbed by her collar, and thrown backwards against the now closed door.**

**Then, she was being led over to the bed. She watched in horror as he grabbed handcuffs and bungee cord. Then, she was dragged over ot the corner of the sloped room to the closet. Her hands were cuffed together, and latched onto a hook on the ceiling, and the bungee was attached to her collar and another latch.**

**She stood there for several hours, but it was all too soon when he got up, and walked over. He grabbed a whip, and mercilessly attacked her back. Then, he grabbed a dull knife, and turned to her front. He placed the knife between her collar bone and her breast, and slowly and painfully carved several symbols there, before moving on, right to left, and then again, below it. **

**Then, he pushed the knife into her forehead, and began to make small dots around her forehead and along her hairline, circling her whilst doing so. **

**The pain was blinding, and she fell unconscious. ****But then, the black returned to normal, and she was bound again, though her arms were stretched to the sides of the closet.**

**He removed the cuff from one of her hands, and held it in place, before marking a cross on her wrist, between her veins. Before replacing the cuff over the bleeding wound.**

**He repeated this with her other hand, and left her there. It didn't take long, and he returned with a sharper knife, and marked a long line down her side around her stomach. She shuddered, and listened silently as he muttered many words, barely seeing, barely hearing, not understanding. **

**She blacked out from the excruciating pain that followed in her wrists and head, shortly after she started screaming.**

**_No, something was holding her down. She didn't want to do this anymore._**

**_No, she knew better than that. She had to. She went limp. Allowed her body to shut itself down._**

**_Now, she was being shaken. Trembling? Shuddering? No, she was shaking. Vibrating almost. Weightless. Flying. Soaring. _**

**_And then, she was looking down. Blood streaked, warm and wet across her forehead, and through her hair, and warm, wet tears where falling down her cheeks._**

She gasped suddenly, and saw Simon standing across from her. Unwilling to come any closer. He took a cautious step forward, and then rushed over, kneeling beside her.

She screamed suddenly, all the emotion, the pain, she had been trained for so long to hold back, all the nightmares, the beatings, they all came out in one. One long, agonised scream.

A scream, only someone who was truly broken in their heart and soul, who truly had no hope left, would be able to make.

In that one scream, Alex came running, recognizing it, and finally realizing that maybe his religion was wrong.

That maybe, there was something else at hand here.

* * *

And that was when the church got interested.


End file.
